17-Apr-2025 Source: Archer
Archer announced plans today for a New York City air taxi network in partnership with United Airlines, seeking to change how New York residents and visitors commute and travel around the region.
Archer’s goal is for passengers to be able to go to a nearby vertiport, or vertical take-off-and-landing location, and then fly 5-15 minutes in its Midnight aircraft to their destination of choice within the network—potentially saving hours versus sitting in traffic on the roads below.
Midnight is Archer’s piloted electric air taxi. It’s designed to carry four passengers, offering enhanced safety and generating less noise than traditional helicopters. Midnight is made in America at Archer’s manufacturing facilities in San Jose, CA and Covington, GA.
The planned New York network will initially focus on using existing aviation properties around the region, with plans for vertiports in the following locations:
Passengers would book these flights as an ‘add-on’ to a traditional flight, helping to reduce travel time to-or-from the airport. For example, a customer could fly in Midnight from the Downtown Skyport directly to Newark Airport, enjoying a scenic ride of less than 10 minutes, versus spending an hour or more in traffic. United previously placed an order for a fleet of Archer’s Midnight aircraft and has remained a long-time investor in the company.
Archer plans to develop the vertiports for this network in collaboration with its existing infrastructure partners Atlantic Aviation, Signature Aviation and Skyports/GroupeADP, as well as new partners Modern Aviation and Air Pegasus.
Archer previously announced air taxi networks in San Francisco and Los Angeles and is currently working through the final stages of FAA approval.
Adam Goldstein, CEO and Founder of Archer said, “The New York region is home to three of the world’s preeminent airports, serving upwards of 150 million passengers annually. But the drive from Manhattan to any of these airports can be painful, taking one, sometimes two hours. We want to change that by giving residents and visitors the option to complete trips in mere minutes. With its existing helicopter infrastructure, regulatory support and strong demand, I believe New York could be one of the first markets for air taxis in the United States.”
“At United, our focus is on driving innovation, reimaging the future of air travel and enhancing the customer experience every step of the journey,” said Andrew Chang, Head of United Airlines Ventures, “Our strategic collaboration with Archer will be key to our efforts to build and optimize the infrastructure – such as real estate development, air space management, and safety and security protocols – necessary to bring advanced air mobility to our customers.”
“The Port Authority is excited to help usher in a new wave of air mobility in the New York and New Jersey region,” said PANYNJ Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We look forward to working with Archer to safely integrate their aircraft into the region’s transportation ecosystem and ensure our airports are ready to deploy this technology into day-to-day operations.”
“New York City is leading the way in embracing AAM and safely integrating this new technology into our city’s transportation networks,” said Andrew Kimball, President & CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). “New Yorkers can expect safe, sustainable, quiet rides on Archer’s Midnight aircraft. The next frontier of Urban Air Mobility is happening sooner than many think and our Downtown Skyport will play an important role.”
